Donations are lagging as deadline approaches for Unity restaurant's holiday dinner drive

As the deadline approaches for the Sharky’s Café holiday dinner drive donations are less than they were in previous years, the co-owner of the Unity restaurant said.

“The community always seems to pull through,” Sharky’s co-owner Jamie Huemme said.

The deadline for the 5th annual drive is Dec. 18.

As in past years, the restaurant is looking to distribute 600 meals that day to area residents in need.

The dinner drive is one positive result of the covid-19 pandemic that triggered challenges for dining establishments, Huemme said.

“We were talking through how the community really helped us through the pandemic, supporting us through delivery and pickup orders,” she said. “We decided we need to give back to the community that has always taken care of Sharky’s.”

To identify meal recipients, Sharky’s partners with Meals on Wheels organizations in Latrobe and Greensburg and a local Rotary Club program that provides backpacks of food for students who may be facing food insecurity.

It also teams up with Shop with a Cop, a Westmoreland County program that provides a Christmas shopping spree for kids at area Walmart stores. That program pairs police officers with children who were victims of crime or experienced some other unfortunate circumstance.

During the Shop with a Cop event at the Walmart store in Unity, Huemme said, “We go from car to car and hand out vouchers (to participants), and those families can come pick up their meals on Dec. 18.”

Sharky’s hosts a pizza party for participants after the shopping event.

The holiday meals of ham, potatoes, a vegetable, salad, bread and butter are priced at $16.99 each.

Huemme said people can donate money toward the meals up until the day of the distribution. They can come to Sharky’s at 3960 Route 30, call the restaurant at 724-532-1620 or donate through the online ordering system at sharkyscafe.com.

For every three meals that are donated, the restaurant will provide a fourth meal.

Unity-based T And K Childcare is another partner in the dinner drive, loaning a school bus that is used to deliver meals to charitable organizations for distribution.

Any food that is left over is donated to charity.

The Sharky’s staff and more than 50 volunteers prepare, assemble and package the meals.

“They’re really the magic behind the scenes,” said Huemme. “The volunteers take hours out of their day during the holiday season to help us put on this event.

“If we can make someone’s day a little brighter and a little happier with a meal they can enjoy with their family, that’s the goal.”